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Human rights

Human rights are often described as universal. In other words, they belong to everyone, regardless of their sex, race, religion, age or where they live. Despite this, we know that terrible abuses of human rights occur every day around the globe. Understanding what the issues are is the first step towards being able to make a difference and standing up for the ‘universality’ of human rights.

Amnesty International Australia: detailed information on current issues and campaigns. Amnesty International is a global movement of over 7 million people committed to defending those who are denied justice or freedom.

Something in Common: take a closer look at some of the important human rights issues facing Australians today. This website starts with the fact, goes deeper into current affairs and history and inspires action by sharing personal stories.

DID YOU KNOW?

Every night, roughly 1 in 200 Australians find themselves without a safe, secure or affordable place to sleep. source

The OHCHR has been awarded the Guinness World Record for having collected, translated and disseminated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights into more than 380 languages and dialects. The Universal Declaration is thus the most translated document… in the world. source

The Global Slavery Index (2016) estimates that 45.8 million men, women and children are enslaved around the world, including in Australia where there are 4,300 people living in modern slavery. source

10 million people across the world are “stateless” – no country recognizes them as a national. source